20% of Aussie game purchases made online, says NPD

NPD Group is stating that during all-important December last year, one in five customers was going online for their purchase.

This is up from one in ten (10%) for the same period in 2012.

The majority of such online purchases were for items under AUD$50, with a significant drop-off occuring at the AUD$70+ mark. The main purchases made online are software (65%) and peripherals, while console hardware is still predominantly purchased offline. Console hardware and console software continues to be a major driver for retail.

Interestingly, less than 40% of retail purchases are made for the buyer. Most purchased in-store are gifts, while the inverse is true online.

Over one third of the online buying group in the December survey were young adults, doubling their slice of the purchasing power from the same period last year. 25-34 year olds also saw significant growth, while the 35+ crowd only saw minor growth. This is in line with what NPD Group was expecting.

The survey is completed by a sample of 3000 individuals four times over the year, each being 13 years of age or older.

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